With regard to the aforementioned handling devices, these are particularly robots, that is to say universally deployable automatic handling devices having a plurality of axes. The movements of the machine axes are freely programmable and where applicable are sensor guided. The movement is controlled by means of a guide value transferred to the respective handling device or to a drive control unit for the handling device. With regard to the axes, these can be translatory and/or rotatory axes.
The handling devices considered can be equipped with pickup heads for picking up and setting down objects or for picking up tools, processing tools or other production equipment. Such types of handling devices can perform manipulation, production, processing or automation functions. Depending on the design of the handling device, movements may be executed in one surface, such as for example in a cylindrical surface, or within a three-dimensional working space. Further known handling devices are so-called pickers, such as for example delta pickers or roller pickers operating in two- or three-dimensional fashion, or horizontal articulated-arm robots referred to as SCARA robots. The pickers are preferably used for packing objects requiring packaging, such as for example chocolates, pastries, writing materials, medical products and the like. Generally speaking, the objects in question can be finished goods, semi-finished products, individually packaged goods, assemblies or other intermediate products occurring during the course of manufacture of products.
With regard to the conveyor facilities, these are for example driven belt conveyors, roller conveyors, rotary plates and the like. Such types of conveyor facilities are also referred to as conveyors. They are typically driven at a constant speed, such as for example by means of a standard dimensioned motor. Typically, the objects are moved along a conveyor line. The conveyor facilities can furthermore be equipped with position encoders, such as for example with a rotary encoder. The respective travel position and/or speed of a moved object can then be derived on the basis of the encoder signals acquired. The determination of the respective travel position or of the respective speed of a moved object can for example take place by means of a control unit which is connected in terms of signaling or data to such a position encoder. Alternatively, the respective travel position and/or speed of the objects can be acquired by way of an optical measuring system connected to the control unit. This also includes light barriers for acquiring the exact passage of an object carried along on the conveyor facility.
One or more handling devices frequently operate in a complex with one or more conveyor facilities. The handling devices can be arranged in such a manner with respect to the conveyor facilities that a respective handling device is able to pick only objects from one assigned conveyor facility or a plurality of objects from a plurality of conveyor facilities. A shared control system may be present for controlling the handling devices. Such a control system can have a plurality of control units arranged in distributed fashion and connected by way of a communication system. By preference, such a control unit is a machine controller having a so-called “motion control” functionality. Such a control unit transfers corresponding positioning coordinates as a guide value for the movement of the machine axes to the relevant handling device, in other words to the associated drive for the electrical activation of corresponding actuators of the handling device, such as motors for example. The activation can alternatively or additionally take place in a pneumatic or hydraulic fashion.
With regard to complexes known today comprising handling devices and conveyor facilities, the encoder signals from a respective conveyor facility are read in directly by the control unit which requires them in order to activate a handling device connected thereto. A multiple linkage of the encoder signals to a plurality of control units may possibly also be required.